Single-impulse variable-selecting device



' April 14, 1931.

D. E. WESCOTT SINGLE IMPULSE VARIABLE SELECTING DEVICE Filed March 4, 1927 Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DANA E. WESCO'IT, OF SOUTH BEND; INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO SOUTH BEND CURRENT CONTROLLER COMPANY SINGLE-IMPULSE VARIABLE-SELECTING DEVICE Application filed March 4, 1927. Serial No. 173,209.

My invention relates to improvements in a single impulse variable selecting device, and it more especially consists of the features pointed out in the annexed claims.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a simple, positive and eflicient means for cffecting various results through single recurring impulses; that may repeat the selections for the same purposes; that may vary the order of the selections; that may also vary the duration of the selection; that may use a combination of variable expedients to control different service circuits, simultaneously or at separate times independently of each other:

that is equally adapted to single pole or double pole purposes that cooperates with releasable locking means for holding a given circuit closed while other circuits are controlled by the same mechanism without any interference with the circuit that is held closed; and that permits selectors of different characteristics to be operated from the same constant current circuit or from a pilot circuit to separately control their service periods.

With these and other ends in view, I illus trate in the accompanying drawings such instances of adaptation as will disclose the broad underlying features of my invention without limiting myself to the specific detailsshown thereon and described herein.

Figurel is a side elevation of the operating portion of my controlling device showing a circuit mechanism closed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of Fig. showing a circuit mechanism opened.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, showing parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is a detached top plan view of a seleco tor bracket, partly in section.

Fig. 5 is a detached side elevation of Fig. 4 showing the release of the circuit holding means.

Fig. 6 is afdiagrammatic plan of a one finger circuit closing plate and actuating mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic plan of a onefinger circuit closing plate and. operating mechanism, the finger being on the opposite side of the selector stem.

Fig. 8 is a similar view to Figs. 6 and 7 showing a double finger plate.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged diagrammatic plan of a radial selecting pin in circuit closing position.

Fig. 10 is a similar view to Fig. 9 with the selector pin in a different angular position changed ninety degrees.

Fig. 11 is a similar View to Fig. 10 with a full length or diametral selector pin.

Fig. 12A is a diagrammatic constant current series circuit with selectors connected therein for variably serving other circuits.

Fig. 12B is a diagrammatic pilot circuit in which several selectors are placed, each one adapted to supply its own service circuit independently of any other one, or simultaneously, as desired.

In practically carrying out my invention, I may use whatever alternative expedients that the exigencies of various service conditions may demand without departing from the broad spirit of my in "ent-ion.

In selecting devices as heretofore used, enemplified by Fig. 14 and my Patent No. 1,301,206, issued on April 22, 191.9. the selective action is limited to two conditions. the only available variation being an on or off position of the mechanism. \Vith my present invention such a circumscribed limi; ation is overcome through the use of variable lifting plates, variable selector pins, and an associated locking or holding plate or catch to retain the lifting plates in a predetermined position for a predetermined period of time. Each change in selection is secured by a single impulse. the impulse itself having no selective characteristics other than an initiating function through its recurrence.

In the patent referred to the upper selector tube comprises deep and shallow notches. the shallow notches determined the off and the deep notches the on relation of a circuit controlling switch. In the present invention these differential notches are replaced by long ones of uniform depth. The selector stem in its intermittent up and down movement in either case is rotated in periodic steps through the medium of a lower selector tube having shallow saw-tooth notches bevcled in a reverse direction to the beveled faces of the teeth of the upper tube.

It will now be apparent that an entirely different device is inst-anced in the drawings, of which the following is a detailed description. In Fig. 1 the selecting mechanism is attached to the underside of a suitable supporting plate or board 1 of insulating mateflat switch plates 22.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 exemplify only one form of adaptation of my invention. They instance a selective control of a pair of movable contacts 26 yieldingly attached to the plates 22 which are pivoted by means of eyes 23 to supporting brackets 2%. These plates 22 are held spaced apart by a high insulation cross member 32 to which they are attached by screws 34%. This cross member may have flanges 33 formed adjacent each plate 22 to increase the insulation at this point to witl stand high voltage service conditions. As shown, these contacts 26 may representboth sides of a double pole switch or they may represent two separate single pole circuits. In case it is found desirable, the cross member 32 may be made in two separate parts, each part carrying its own cooperating selecting features to be acted on by a common selecting stem 4 and attached pins 10, 11, etc. This expedient will be understood because I do not limit myself to the specific form of switching members, their circuits etc., as instanced in the drawing, nor do I limit myself to the exact form and shape of the cooperating lifting plates 35.

In its simplest form, selective controls of this type comprise'any suitable long range magnet 2, whether a single or double solenoid 1s used, or otherwise. In the instance exemplified in Fig. 1, an armature 3 and its yoke yoke and the selector stem.

is free to move outward from the magnet,

and whenever the magnet becomes energized the armature 3 is moved 1n the other direcnet. Its raised position is shown in Fig. 5.

The to and fro movements of the stem 4 with an attached selector pin, such as 10, 11 etc, results in a step by step rotation of the stem which is brought about by a lower selector tube 7 through which the stem passes. As shown in Fig. 1, the stem also passes through the upper selector tube 6. Both tubes are notched, the upper one has four long notches 8 and the lower one has four shallow notches 9. The notches of the two tubes are staggered in respect of each other and the teeth of the respective tubes formed between the notches of each tube are beveled in reverse order. It is this relation of the beveled teeth that causes the stem 4 to befmoved rotarily around its axis ninety degrees for each to and fro movement. In the downward movement the selector pin slides out of a longslot 8 onto one of the beveled teeth of the tube 7 which shifts the stem and pin forty-five degrees. On the next inward movement the bevel of the next tooth of the tube 6 further shifts the parts another forty-five degrees, thus causing a total angular shift of ninety degrees for each completed to and fro movement of the stem 4, as stated above.

Thus far the mechanism, onlyin relation to the periodicity of step by step rotative changes, performs a similar function to the device disclosed in U. S; Patent No. 1,301,206.

Beyond this step by step rotation of aselecting element, there is no similarity between my present and former invention. 7 In the former case a single long selector pin is used, that is, one which projects the same distance from each face of the selector stem, as for instance, the pin 10 shown in Fig. 11. This did not have a variable cooperative selective function. In the present case the uniform angular advance of the stem 4 for each energization of the magnet 2, is interpreted or translated into a large number of varying results.

Different results are brought about through thense of a long radialpin 11 associated with any one of the several forms of lifting plates 35, shown in Figs. 6, 7 8, and a: locking catch 40, shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 A. furtherresult is secured by using a long pin 10 with the other elements ust mentioned. Additional results are secured by using a short radial pin 12 on the same stem with a diametra'l pin 10, in cooperation with a locking catch lO and any one of various forms of lifting plates 35. Another change is'secured by using a short radial pin 11, in connection with separate contact or lifting plates 54 and a locking catch 40-ascontrolled by a selector tube 53 having an odd number of notches and teeth. It is obvious thatI am not limited to a specific number of notches in the selector tubes. These may be varied according to the needsof 'difierent service conditions. V I V The actuating mechanism of my remote control selecting system is all attached to the base plate or board 1. A bracket 13 is secured to the underside of the board 1 bya direction to the projection 16. It serves at 19 as a pivot for a resetting lever 18 whose enlarged beveled front end is heavy enough to cause this end to drop by gravity until the rear end engages the casting of the bracket 13. A top recess 21 is formed at this rear end .into which a wooden stem 20 is seated for manually operating or resetting the mechanism whenever needed or desired. The beveled front end of the reset lever 18 on its upward movement engages the lower end of the selector stem 4, thus raising it and causing the same operations of the associated parts as when the stem 4 is raised by the magnet 2.

This stem is ordinarily used only in emergencies, when for any reason it is found necessary to operate the mechanism independently of the magnet.

\Vhen the selector pin moves upward in a slot 8 of the upper tube 6 into engagement with the underside of the finger 36 of the lifting plate 35,-the entire circuit closing mechanism is raised so as to bring the contacts 26 into engagement with the upper terminals 48-49 to serve whatever circuit that may be connected to such terminals.

Another upward movement, whether immediately following the precedingone or not, cause the pin 11 to engage the toe 43 of the catch 40. This causes the catch to swing in its guiding slot formed in the projection 15 while held on a pivot pin 41 far enough to draw the notch 42 from under the holding plate 45, thus releasing the contacts 26 from the terminals 48 and opening the connected circuit or circuits. The catch is held under tension by a spring 44, shown in Fig. 4, so as to always snub under the plate whenever it is raised through the cooperation of a selecting pin 10, 11 or 12 and a lifting plate 35, with or without fingers 36 and 37.

In order to free the circuit controlling contacts 26 from the necessity of ultra exact mechanical movements these are made yielding through the use of the expedients shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The contact members 26 are loosely attached to the flat blades 22 by means of rear guide pins 29. Front guide pins 30 pass loosely through holes in the blades 22 and also through holes in the contacts 26. Compression springs 31 are placed on the pins 30'beneath the contacts 26 so as to always cause the contacts 26 to engage the terminals 48 regardless of any variations in total movement the blades 22 may have. A flexible cable 27 connects a connector 28 of each contact 26 with a connector 25 attached to a supporting bracket 24, shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The insulating cross member 32 has attached to its under side .a lifting plate 35 by means of screws 38 and lock nuts 39, see Figs. 1 and 2. These same screws also serve to position the holding plate 45 adjustably so as to be coordinated with the notch 42 of the catch 40. Lock nuts 46 serve to hold the plate against accidental displacement. The lifting plate may be devoid of fingers 36 and 37, which are shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The finger 36 shown alone in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 is designated as the rear finger, and finger 37 shown .alone in Fig. 7 for convenience in the description is called the front finger. Both fingers 36 and 37 are shown attached to a single lifting plate 35, in Fig. 8.

A suppositious constant current series circuit is shown in Fig. 12A, wherein the series line 56 also serves the separate magnets 2 of my control device from a generator 60. Each device will control a separate'service circuit 58, simultaneously or separate, according to the setting of the step by step repeater action of the respective controls. A separate control circuit is shown in Fig. 12B. This is 9 controlled by a separate pilot circuit 57 which eliminates all loss of current except that required momentarily to actuate the magnets of the control devices. In this connection separate service circuits 59 may also'be connected simultaneously or separately to a generator 61.

From the preceding description it will now be an easier matter to follow the changes that result from a manipulation of my device. In Fig. 8 the double finger lift plate 35 is raised in the first quadrant, but immediately lowered again. During the second and fourth quadrants the stem 4 and attached pin 10 move idly; however, on the third quadrant the momentary raising and lowering of the plate 35 takes place the same as for the first movement. This arrangement of parts will only enable a central station operator to produce momentary signals or effects onany connected circuit. If similar other devices are installed on the same control circuit and the pins 10 are similarly oriented any single transmitted signal will be present in the separate devices at the same moment and remain as long as the signal impulse lasts. If, how ever, the pins of one group are oriented ninety degrees away from the pins of another group, the signals on all the devices will not be received simultaneously, but in two separate groups, independently of each other.

The characteristics of Fig. 8 are changed by the cooperation of a holding catch 40. As heretofore stated, the catch is shown with the stem4 between it and the liftingaplate,

by the long pin at the end of the first movementwill be heldthere by'reason of the catch cooperating with a holding plate 45, as in Fig. 1, or in a similar manner. The

.second movementwith trip the catch; the

third movement will again raise and lock the plate and the fourth movement will again release it. Theitime elapsing between the several movements may be minutes or hours, or any otherdesired period, and the controlled circuits may comprise any desired service.

Fig. 7 llustrates four quadrants or an entire revolution. of the stem 4. In this case the stemhas only a radial pin 11 which cooperates with a single forward finger 37 of lifting plate 35.. This relation of parts brings about another group of changes also secured by means of single impulses in an operating magnet 2. The first movement raises the plate when the pin 11 lifts the finger 37, where it is held by the catch 40. The second movement releases the catch 40, and the third and fourth movements are idle. There are four changes that can be made by'selecting the second, third or fourth quadrants separately as the first of other series. This possibility exists in respect of all the other diagrams. V A fingerless plate may be used, in which event it is raised by the first movement of the radial pin 11 and held by'the catch 40, the second quadrant is idle, the third releases the catch and the fourth is idle, while the fifth is arepetition of the first. r

In practical parlance I have found it co11- venient to use the following symbols for the different kinds of service to which my device is adapted; midnight service, (4 N). All night automatic lock service, (A N A L). Midnight automatic lock service, (M N A L) To show the simplicity and dependability of my system, there are no delicate parts, no variable currents, no varying periodicity currents for'selective' controls. Each device may be a substantial duplicate of every other, except in the style of pins and lifting plates. These two factors enable me to secure a large number of variable applications which have only been secured hitherto by means of expensive, complicated, and extremely delicate time switches. My devices are located whereever a given area is to be served with current at different hours from other'areas.

Each device being under the control of a station operator and the use of single similar impulses producing variable results indifferent controls which whenonce set and stepped into proper sequence, ordinarily require nolower tubular guide for the stem having shallow notches of uniform depth formed in its upper end, a supporting frame for the magnet and the guides, a pin projecting from the stem adapted to engage the upper and lower notches in alternating sequence, a circuit controlling switch, a switch closing plate attached to the switch, a projection from the plate extending into the path of the pin alongside of the stem whereby as the pin is raised by the stem into engagement with the projection of the plate the plate is moved and the switch is closed, and a pivoted catch for holding the switch closed said catch being adapted to be released by the pin at stated recurring intervals of the movementof the pin and stem.

2. An automatic switching mechanism for controlling connected circuits comprising a switch cooperating therewith said switch having a magnet,-a reciprocating stem actuated by the magnet for alternately closing and opening the switch as stated recurring intervals of the movement of the stem, a pin projecting from the stem, means for intermittently rotating the stem and pin, a projection from the switch extending into the path of movement of the pin, a catch for holding theswitch closed, and means on the catch also extending into the path of movement of the pin whereby the projection from the switch and the catch are alternately actu-, ated at stated intervals of the reciprocation of the stem. I v j V 3. An automatic switching mechanism adapted to control connected circuits, a magnet, a reciprocating stem' actuated bythe magnet for alternately closing and opening the switch at stated recurring intervals of the movement of the stem, a plurality of pins projecting from the stem, means for-intermittently rotating the stem and pins, apro jection from the switch extending into the path of movement pf the pins, a catch for holding the switch closed, and means on the catch also extending into the path of movement of the pins whereby the projection from the switch and from the catch are alternately the reclproactuated at stated intervals of cation of the stem. 1

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

. DANA E. WESCOTT. 

